James S Kilburn
Engineers in Idaho Falls, ID
License number
Colorado 2806
Issued Date
Dec 8, 1956
Renew Date
Aug 28, 1992
Expiration Date
Aug 28, 1992
Type
Professional Engineer
Address
Address
1920 Rivera Cir, Idaho Falls, ID 83401
Professional information
Jetting Out Weak Areas For Forming An In Situ Oil Shale Retort
US Patent:
4279444, Jul 21, 1981
Filed:
Jan 7, 1980
Appl. No.:
6/109838
Inventors:
James Kilburn - Idaho Falls ID
Assignee:
Occidental Oil Shale, Inc. - Grand Junction CO
International Classification:
E21B 43247, E21B 43263
US Classification:
299 2
Abstract:
An in situ oil shale retort is formed in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. A void can be formed in formation within the retort site by directing fluid under pressure against a zone of relatively weakened formation, such as tuffs, gravel beds, or fractured oil shale, to erode such weakened formation into particle form, leaving a void space adjacent a remaining zone of unfragmented formation within the retort site. The void space can be formed by drilling a bore hole into the zone of weakened formation, placing a jet nozzle in the bore hole, and forcing a fluid such as water through the nozzle against the weakened formation for eroding it to form the void space. Eroded formation particles are passed to the bottom of the bore hole. Such water jetting techniques can be used to form voids in zones of weakened formation interspersed throughout the retort site. Remaining formation within the retort site is explosively expanded toward such a void space for forming a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale in an in situ oil shale retort.